I’ll admit that I LOVE Champagne. I really do. In fact, I attended two Champagne parties in one day earlier this week during Miami’s Art Basel. Two fantastic Champagne parties with flowing, unlimited bubbly. For a Champagne lover, it was a pretty perfect day.
However, Champagne is often very expensive, and hardly ever what you grab when you’re on a budget. As we approach Christmas and the New Year when bubbly is a requirement for a proper celebration, we may be scouring wine shop shelves for a bottle that is presentable and also affordable.
December Vino Column “Celebrate with Bubbly on a Budget”
When looking for budget bubbly, there are several options out there, but it’s important to know what you’re getting. No, a Prosecco is not just a “cheap Champagne.” It’s actually a completely different sparkling wine made in a totally different way in Italy. Cava is from Spain and is made in the same traditional method as Champagne is made in northern France, but it is often more economical. The grapes are different, and the wine is from a different country, but the method of a second fermentation in the bottle is the same.
As much as I can, I’d like to help with finding just the right bargain bubbly. In my December Vino column in Miami’s Biscayne Times newspaper, I give you feedback on seven bottles of economical bubbly, all under $15. There were some that were better than others, but all are bottles that can suit different kinds of celebrations as we inch toward the end of the year.
Let me know if you have any comments or questions about more economic sparkling wine options. Do you have a go-to brand or bottle?
History & Wine 